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venustus

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C/P from compatibility forum...I hope that's ok.

Thanks guys. Ok, I did something good and something bad. The good is that I purchased a large water testing kit so I won't always be out of testing strips. All of my tanks have about an 8.3 pH which is good for cichlids...not so much for the community tank. All other parameters are good right now.

I purchased some brichardi (only 3...I'm going to add more). Ok, the bad. I listened to a pet shop lady who seemed very knowledgeable and didn't do my research. I saw some little cichlids that I hadn't researched that I liked a lot. She told me they would be ok in a 30 if I put them in while they are small and that they grow slow. They are called Venustus and after buying them, I researched and found her to be really wrong. I put them in my 20 gallon with large female swordtails and platies (2 of each). They're the same size as them right now. I'm going to try to rehome them. I have a 55 that I could convert into a cichlids tank but I don't even think its big enough. Has anyone ever kept these fish in a tank as small as 55 or know how long I could house them before they are too big?

I kept my hap venustus for a couple years before he got too aggressive with the (known) incompatible tankmates I had with him. He was one of my favourite fish. When I gave him away he was about 8" long and doing well in my 48" tank (72gal bow). I could have kept him longer growth wise...its all in how the tank is 'scaped and what you have stocked with it.

Thanks Sheamurai. I got 2 of them. I will try to at least find someone who would take one and I have to decide what to do with the other for a while.... and then I know I will have to also find him a home eventually. I'm completely new to cichlids. It's weird that right now these little guys are getting along with my swordtails :) . There has been zero aggression right now (but they are all the same size right now). I have lots of hiding spots in that little tank and would add more if and when I put them in the bigger tank. When we originally got these live-bearers I thought it would be neat for my son to watch the babies, etc but now I am ready to move to something less prolific. I wonder if the venustus would be alright housed with angels?

I don't find it weird at all. You hear a lot of people saying "there has been zero aggression so far" and I'm not quite sure why people are so surprised when it starts to happen. And usually you never hear about it, as the people either don't want to admit they were wrong, or they change up their tank and never see the long term results.
Juveniles are immature, and have no concerns for territory, they are focused on eating and not being eaten. You absolutely cannot keep a fish for like two months and assume that because it is not aggressive now that it will never become aggressive. It will become what its nature insists it become. Juvenile fish don't act like adults any more than children act like mature people.

As they grow, they become able to eat larger things, and as they mature, they instinctively start to prepare to procreate - whether or not there are any of the opposite sex present. Which means territory, and defending it from all comers.
It took a year and half before my venustus starting being noticeably aggressive, and another 6 months before it became a problem. And thats not to say it didn't make life hell for the other fish in the tank, before then by fishy terms, I just didn't judge it a problem by human terms.

The age at which a fish becomes aggressive depends on the type of fish, its tankmates, and how crowded the tank its in is. Scaping merely allows smaller fish to survive aggressive fish, it doesn't reduce aggression. Some fish will start earlier, but until a person has kept a fish in a consistent tank for at least a year, I don't give any weight to an opinion that THIS fish (of a typically aggressive species) is non-aggressive and is doing fine in their tank.

Sorry for the lecture above, its kinda a pet peeve of mine and not directed specifically at you, just to inform of why a fish can seem to be an angel now, and seemingly turn into a demon later. It's what fish do, not that they are being asses or are misbehaving, it is their nature and they have no choice.

I have never kept angels, but highly doubt a venustus would get along with them.

Ha... thanks for the "lecture" :) I completely understand the soap box (Just give me time in the hobby...lol). I appreciate knowledge and opinions of experienced hobbiests. Well, I figured it was because they're around the same size at this time. I wish I wouldn't have got them but ya live and learn right? I also doubted that I would be able to keep one for a great length of time in my 55 gallon.... was just hoping I could enjoy them a while but not a big thing. They were an impulse buy so I'm a little ticked at myself. I did so much research on what I thought I might like to get and then just abandoned it when it came down to it. No biggy though... wouldn't be the first or second impulsive thing that I've done that ended up not being quite right. ;) :)

lol its hard to pass up the impulse buy when you see something cool at the store. And venustus are a pretty cool fish.

You can certainly keep venustus in a 55, you'd just have to plan proper tank mates to with it. Look into hap tanks when you are in the mood for a switch, they are very cool. I'm into tetras right now, but my next change will prolly be a Tang or Hap tank.